Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-06-29
A MYSTERIOUS YALISE.

4 MYSTERIOUS VALISE
sentry, will You kindly keep you
eve on my bag for few minutes?
am going to have 4 plunge in the Ser
Dentine," said a well-dreSSed, middle
AGED gentleman TO me, one warm sum
mel morning 4 few years ago, as l wa:
on duty al the park gate Of knights
bridge Cavalry Barracks.
"All right, SIR" | replied. III am
relieved before you return, l SHALL hand
il over 10 the next sentry"
IsOh. shan'C be more than half an
hour a. the latest, as | must be in the
city by nine. l prefer leaving my va.
Iise with YOU; there are so many vaga-
bonds always sWarming about Hyde
Park. tina. ii Is quite possible that one
OF them might take a fancy to it while
lam bathing. 1t doesn't contain very
valuable eprOpeTty-oaly suit of clothes
and a few documents 'Of no use TO any
one but the owner as the saying Is.
AL the same, however, have no de-
sire to lose it." So saying, the gentle
nan turned away, and walked briSkly
across the park in the direction Of the
serpentine.
The request 10 look after his property
did not in the least surprise me, as
ngmerUus To5beries from the clothing
Of persons bathing had for some time
before teen reported TO the police. 1
lifted the bag-upOn which the letters
W. y. were painted, and which was in
the battered condition Indicative of
having been much tumbled about-and
placed II behind the low wall that lay
between the barracks and the footpath.
The barracks clock struck eight.
Fully half an hour had elapsed since
the owner Of the bag departed, and as
yet there was no sign Of him; the
''quartef-pass" was chimeG from the
usighbOring clocks, and still lie did not
turn up; and, as the minutes passed, l
thought to myself that it was time lie
was looking sharp if he really wished
to be in the city by nine.
About halt-past eight L perceived q
great cOmmOtion in the park. Men
were rushing from all quarters in the
direction Of the Serpentlne; and soon
afterwards aSceItained from pasSer-
BY that the excitement was caused by
one of the numerous bathers having
been drowned. An uneasy suspicion
was at once excited within me that the
person GhO had come to such sad end
was the gentleman who had left his
valiSe in my charge, which suspicion
was Intensified when was relieved at
nine, with the article still unclaimed.
reflected, however, that its owner
may Baye been chained TO the scene of
The disaster By that morbid curiosity
which induce people to linger about the
spot where any calamity of the Kind
has recently occurred, and then, finding
that he was pressed for time, and know
Ing that his property would be perfectly
safe, had gone direct TO the city.
handed over the bag TO the sentry
who relieved me without mentioning 10
hin anything Of the circumstances OF
me case; and when he returned from
duty at eleven, L eagerly asked him If
lhe yalise had been called for.
No he replied, sit is still lying
behind the wall.''
went on sentry again at one O'Clock
and no one had come for it. 1t was
tne height OF the London season and
hyde Park presented its customary gay
appearance; but the imposing array of
spiendidly-sppolnted equipageS. dash
ing equestrians and acknowledgement
ladies' and gentlemen, which at other
tunes was TO me a most interesting
spectacle, that afternoon passed by un-
needed, as all my thoughts were cen
Iered on spsculations regarding the fate
Vi the owner OF the bag. Before being
relieved at three had it conveyed 10
ny loom In barracks, and after coming
W guard placed it Tor greater security
AZ the troop store. That evening, be-
Iofe stables" " when the orderly cor
pOlal had read out the duties for the
succeeding day, he said, addressing
Me: Jones, you have to attend the
ofoetly room Tomorrow
"Why?" inquired.
lou have been reported for neglect
ing 10 salute Captain Sir Carnaby jerks
as lie passed you while on sentry this
swer.
m laid nothing by way of excuse.
t.,l tn.S lelnous charge Was in all proba-
uHily True. l believe 1 might have
united 10 present. to Her Majesty
.ue queen herself, if she had passed
sn.t afternoon In her state carriage, 50
distracted ;a was by the engrossing sub
lect Of this valise.
after stables, left barracks for my
t.,s customary walk, and purchasing a copy
sue Echo from a juvenile news
s, ssnGei, read the particulars of the
tssSa.lty OF the morning. Friends had
IaenIlhed the body, which was that of
gentleman named Nixon. who had
resided at Bayswater.
Nixon! That corresponds with the
LIZA, n,1laa n on the bag" l thought to
~ 49,, now perfectly convinced that
~ ue ge@eased was the person l had seen
uhe morning. l also ascertaIned
oni Ine newspaper report that a man
haU,r U oeen apprehended on suspicion of
tba attempted to rifle the pockets of
sso &c clolhes Of the drowned man. and
CO O naa Deen roughly handled by the
nroo, Delore q policeman could be
reu rt.u 10 take him into custody.
cali 20 moments reflection decided to
Ia orSsr a. tl.s address given in the paper,
tioU U'uei os 70 arrange about ths restcra.
dscaoa,55 VI 5he bag to the relatives of the
q, th1nllg tha the house | knocked softly
n. us S, uoof, and stated my business tt
was estlc sIac who appeared, by whom
a,sts,,, ouo"h INTO a room and imme.
"'e'y alterward was waited upon Inv 3